Living with Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

I’ve only just found out tonight what’s been a problem for years and years. Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome! Out of desperation, I thought I’d check out the internet for Insomnia, and clues to what has been my problem for so long, and came across this. I’d never heard of it before.

I can NEVER get to sleep early, can NEVER wake early, unless I force myself to & set the alarm. I thought I was just lazy, then I thought it was insomnia. Unfortunately, following all the good hints and tips about what to do to get a good night’s sleep never worked for me. If I’m allowed to follow my own rhythms,sleep when I’m ready, wake when I’m ready, I sleep really well! I can drink coffee just before sleep, and be just fine! So I knew it was more than just insomnia.

Sometimes I can’t sleep till 3 or 4 am, then sleep on till midday. Because I work from home, I can re-arrange work schedule, and things are ok. But I cannot fit in with other people, and what they do, like doing things at nine in the morning. I’ve tried forcing myself to do without sleep, and made myself get up early, having just 4 hours or so. Thought I’d be so tired that night I’d be bound to fall asleep at eleven, thus wake up at seven! It does not work.I get horribly, horribly tired, then can’t sleep till 3 or 4 again, until I give up, let myself sleep naturally, forget the time, wake up at eleven or midday, and feel just WONDERFUL. This is interfering with a normal life though. And absolutely no-one understands. You see, I am not a lazy person.